This Blog will house my various thoughts on Education, Technology and the role technology plays in educating our children.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

School – 8:00 to 3:00 Monday – Friday and 3 Months Off?

There are still a few folks out there who think schools only function Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM for 9 months a year. Not unlike a holiday dinner, there are hours of preparation by many people before the main event.

This Saturday I found myself at work trying to repair one of the computer systems that I maintain. While it is not uncommon to work on a computer system over the weekend or late hours the real reason for this post is different. This post is about the prep work required for a school to function.

As I worked today, one of the ladies who works in the transportation office stopped by my desk and asked me how long I would be in the building. She needed to be at work on Saturday to ensure the prep work was done so our students could be transported to their school or field trip the following week.

As I left the building heading for home to enjoy the remainder of my Saturday, I looked across the parking lot and the play ground of the school next door. There, parked next to a couple classrooms were the cars of two teachers. They too were working on their day off to ensure the prep work was completed for the children who will be there ready to learn Monday morning.

If you are an educator reading this post, I am preaching to the choir here. If you are not and educator, think back to all the papers that were graded each morning following the day the paper was turned in, consider the school bus that was fueled and waiting for you are the bus stop, think about the trash can that was full the day before yet magically empty the next morning. That is all prep work for the main event!

It is often said, it take a village to raise a child. I would add to that the following:It takes a number of villagers to maintain the school system where that child is raised.